


A Trip To The Beach

by Warp5Complex_Archivist



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-08-25
Updated: 2006-08-25
Packaged: 2018-08-15 16:51:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8064427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Warp5Complex_Archivist/pseuds/Warp5Complex_Archivist
Summary: T'Pol has another daydream. Takes place during 4.17 "Bound."





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Kylie Lee, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Warp 5 Complex](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Warp_5_Complex), the software of which ceased to be maintained and created a security hazard. To make future maintenance and archive growth easier, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but I may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Warp 5 Complex collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Warp5Complex).

  
Author's notes: This little story was written for "B." It is a sequel of sorts for Out of the Mouths of Engineers.

Ever wonder exactly what other kind of daydreams Trip and T'Pol might have shared beside the white space daydream? This story is a sequel of sorts to my "A" addition, but you don't need to read it for this to make sense. I apologize for rehashing some of the scenes from the episode, but my beta and I decided that they were needed for the overall continuity of the story. Speaking of betas, I want to thank Distracted for her help. I appreciate you taking the time to look it over, D, when I'm pretty sure you'd much rather be working on your own stories!  


* * *

_T'Pol stood by the edge of the sea as the waves came ashore. She felt the warm liquid flow over her feet, and then the coolness of the night air on her skin as the tide receded back into the ocean. The Vulcan gazed off in the distance, her eyes fixed upon the vast body of water that surrounded her. Trip had been right. There was definitely something soothing about this place._

_The wet sand squished between her toes as she stepped forward into deeper waters. When the water reached her waist, she stopped and listened to the rushing of the waves. The rhythmic sounds had a calming effect on the Vulcan. Tâ€™Pol felt her body relaxing against the surf as the salt water splashed onto her skin over and over again._

_â€œMind if I join ya?â€_

_The voice came from behind her without warning, but Tâ€™Pol knew instantly who it belonged to. She recognized the distinct pitch and familiar dialect even without looking. The sound of his voice stirred something inside her. She wanted to resist the feeling. She wanted to deny the warmth she felt in her chest at his presence once again inside her mind._

_Trip._

_Tâ€™Pol found his sudden appearance illogically pleasing. She closed her eyes in an attempt to gain additional strength, and then slowly turned around to face him._

_Trip walked briskly toward her, clad only in royal blue swimming trunks. He moved fluidly across the beach, his bare feet sinking down into the sand and then effortlessly back out again with each step toward her. His tanned skin glistened beneath the reflected moonlight that shone down from the night sky. Tâ€™Polâ€™s eyes widened momentarily as she gazed at the humanâ€™s aesthetically pleasing form._

_â€œAm I to understand that you find this particular location more to your satisfaction?â€ she questioned, directing her vision toward Tripâ€™s eyes. He stopped walking just at the shoreâ€™s edge and met her gaze._

_â€œYes, as a matter of fact, Tâ€™Pol, it is.â€ His eyes scanned the surrounding area with a look of wonder and he smiled warmly. â€œIâ€™d have to say that this place is just about perfect.â€_

_Trip looked off in the distance and grew quiet for a moment. A light breeze blew through his tousled blonde hair and the moonlight was just bright enough for her to see his thoughtful expression. His eyes found hers once again._

_â€œIs this my dream or yours?â€_

_â€œI believe it is mine.â€_

_â€œYours? So you did all of this for me?â€_

_Tâ€™Pol looked back at Trip in silence, not about to give an affirmative answer to that particular question._

_â€œYou said that you wished to go swimming. Is this still a fact?â€_

_Trip waded through the seawater and approached Tâ€™Pol. She was unable to see the blue of his eyes in the darkness, but still felt the energy of his steady gaze upon her. The water around her body grew warmer as he stepped closer. Small waves created by his movements felt pleasurable against her skin, like gentle caresses. She felt the pace of her heartbeat begin to increase._

_Trip stopped directly in front of Tâ€™Pol and smiled tenderly. It was an unusual smileâ€”a smile she wasnâ€™t familiar with and had not seen before. The setting of this daydream was indeed relaxing, but the company she was keeping certainly wasnâ€™t having the same type of effect on her. Perhaps this choice of venue was not such a positive idea after all. It wasnâ€™t as if she had consciously chosen to be here, though. It wasnâ€™t as if she had wished for this to happen. It wasnâ€™t as if sheâ€™d desired Trip to be present with her in this place in her mind. She had merely been inquisitiveâ€¦only inquisitive. Yet here she wasâ€¦and so was he._

_Tâ€™Pol felt Tripâ€™s hand press against hers from beneath the waterâ€™s surface. He moved his fingers over the top of hers and clasped her hand, gently pulling her forward with him as he swam out into the ocean._

_When they got out deep enough, they stopped swimming and turned to face one another as they kept themselves afloat._

_â€œEver been skinny dippinâ€™, Tâ€™Pol?â€ Trip asked with an impish grin, his head bobbing up and down in the water._

_Tâ€™Pol recollected hearing this human term before. â€œBy that I presume you mean to ask if I have ever been in the water unclothed. Only when Iâ€™m bathing, Trip.â€_

_â€œOh, Tâ€™Polâ€¦ ya gotta try it sometime. The feel of the water on your skinâ€¦â€_

_â€œSurely you do not expect me to disrobe.â€_

_â€œOf course not,â€ Trip chuckled as he swam even closer to Tâ€™Pol. His face was mere inches from hers now, their heads the only part of their bodies not submerged in the warm ocean water. Drops fell from Tripâ€™s hair and trickled down his forehead, nose and cheeks. One landed on his upper lip and remained intact for an instant before it suddenly burst and dripped down over the corner of his mouth. Tâ€™Pol followed its path with her eyes, watching as it moistened his lips. The human seemed to surround her in every way imaginable. Her senses were simply unable to escape him._

_Tâ€™Pol felt a sudden and illogical urge to kiss him._

_Vulcans did not normally kiss on the mouth in the manner that humans did, but for some reason the image kept playing through her mind. Her lips to hisâ€”a shared kiss beneath the moonlight as they swam together in the ocean. Was there some remote possibility that this was actually Tripâ€™s daydream and not her own? She had been nearly certain it was hers, but the ideas that were crossing her mind were most unusual._

_â€œPerhaps we should move closer to shore,â€ Tâ€™Pol suggested, trying desperately to distract herself from her building desires._

_â€œDonâ€™t tell me youâ€™re gettinâ€™ tired already, Tâ€™Pol. What happened to your Vulcan stamina?â€ Trip teased. â€œGuess maybe this isnâ€™t exactly the safest place in the world to be neckinâ€™ though, huh?â€_

_The Vulcan raised a brow. Another human term. It was quite fortunate that she was now familiar with such expressions, or a conversation with Trip could have become an exercise in futility._

_â€œWhat exactly gave you the idea that we might engage in such behavior?â€_

_Trip smiled back at her. â€œI donâ€™t know. The thought just happened to cross my mind. Would ya care for a lift?â€_

_â€œA lift?â€ Tâ€™Pol had barely spoken the words when she felt her legs being pulled out from beneath her. She suddenly found herself cradled up against Tripâ€™s chest as he lay on his back in the water. He kicked his legs back and forth beneath the water and held her in his arms, almost as if he was using her body as a flotation device._

_Tâ€™Pol glared up at Trip with unrepressed displeasure. â€œI believe I would prefer it if I were permitted to swim to shore of my own accord, Commander Tucker.â€_

_Trip frowned and released her. â€œAw, câ€™mon, Tâ€™Pol, itâ€™s a daydream. Canâ€™t you be a little illogical, just this once?â€ He shook his head as his words trailed off. â€œCommander Tuckerâ€¦Are we back to that now?â€_

_Without answering, Tâ€™Pol turned away and started swimming back to shore alone, not looking back. No one had ever picked her up and held her that way before. She wanted to suppress the feelings it had stirred in her. She wanted to suppress the physical desire she had for this illogical, emotional and extremely aesthetically pleasing human being. Thoughts of Tripâ€™s sculpted shoulders, his firm biceps and his muscular chest pervaded her thoughts. His face, his hair, his smileâ€¦_

_The onslaught of images ran through her mind, failing to fade even as she moved away from him. She quickened her strokes through the water, trying to escape the weakness within her that she no longer could control._

_As she reached the edge of the beach, she heard splashing behind her._

_â€œHey!â€ Trip called to her, as he stepped out of the water and back onto the sandy shoreline. â€œTâ€™Pol, wait up!â€_

_She turned to face him. â€œI do not believe there is anything additional for us to discuss. Perhaps you should leave.â€_

_Trip took a step closer, gazing directly and confidently into her eyes. He spoke softly. â€œTâ€™Pol, why would you create this place in your mind? Why would you bring me here? Why would you bring us hereâ€¦ together? Have you asked yourself that? You canâ€™t fight this. You canâ€™t deny it forever, Tâ€™Polâ€¦.Vulcan or not.â€_

_There was unquestionably more to these unusual and illogical feelings than mere physical desire. Hoshi had been in her mind during the meld and then sheâ€™d also dreamt of Trip in this manner. Sheâ€™d accessed Tâ€™Polâ€™s thoughts, much the same way that Tâ€™Pol now accessed Tripâ€™s. Only the Vulcan had never mind melded with Charles Tucker III. Stillâ€¦somehow she knew. Somehow she understood what he meant and what he felt._

_Could it be that she and Trip wereâ€¦_

_No. A Vulcan and a human?_

_It simply was not possible. It was unprecedented. It was unequivocally and completely illogical._

_Bonded. They were bonded?_

Tâ€™Pol opened her eyes. She was no longer standing on the beach with Trip. The image of his face had been replaced by the orange glow of a meditation candle. She watched the flame for a moment as it burned steadily on the cylindrical mass of wax.

_How can this be possible? Heâ€™s human,_ she thought, her eyes remaining fixed on the flickering light before her.

The heat from the fire slowly melted the wax and the resulting liquid pooled around the base of the wick. Tâ€™Pol closed her eyes again and breathed in the faint vanilla scent. The familiar aroma of the candle and the heat from its flame helped to soothe her simmering emotions. There was no point in losing control over this issue. She needed to discuss the matter with Trip, though. If her suspicions about the exact nature of their relationship were indeed valid, then it was only logical to assume that Trip had experienced the same daydream. It would be appropriate to gather more information. She needed to locate Trip and have a little talk.  
************************************************************************

 

â€œYouâ€™re wonderinâ€™ if Iâ€™ve been havinâ€™ any daydreams about you?â€ Trip repeated Tâ€™Polâ€™s question, now grinning with apparent amusement.

â€œEssentially.â€

â€œWell let me think.â€ He rolled his eyes upward as if in deep contemplation. It was clearly a mock attempt at retrieving a memory that he certainly would have been aware of without this display of puerile behavior.

â€œNo, nothinâ€™ comes to mind.â€

Tâ€™Pol wasnâ€™t about to play this game. It was moments such as these when he really tested her Vulcan reserve. â€œForget I mentioned it,â€ she stated blandly and turned to walk away. There was no point in continuing this conversation with Trip while he was behaving in such an immature manner.

â€œHave you been havinâ€™ daydreams about me?â€

â€œItâ€™s not important.â€

â€œAre ya gonna tell me what this is about?â€

â€œNo,â€ she answered firmly and then proceeded down the hall without looking back.

Trip had told her an untruth. Alie. Tâ€™Pol was certain of it. He obviously was not prepared to face the implications of the shared daydream. Perhaps if he hadnâ€™t responded to her initial question in such a pre-pubescent manner, she might have elaborated further. She wasnâ€™t about to lower herself to his level. A Vulcanâ€™s dignity took precedence in such matters. Trip would just have to wait for another day to learn about their bond.

***********************************************************************

â€œThe thing I canâ€™t figure out is why Iâ€™m immune.â€

Trip was obviously perplexed by the current situation. He was aware that everyone on board was experiencing symptoms except for him and Tâ€™Pol. Male crew members  
seemed especially susceptible to the effects. Even Captain Archer had been affected.

Trip was immune to the Orions. That much was rather clear. Tâ€™Pol found the fact that their shared bond was preventing him from being influenced by the womenâ€™s pheromones illogically pleasing. Perhaps now he was more adequately prepared to accept the truth.

â€œThat might have something to do with me.â€

â€œYou?â€

Trip stopped walking, looking somewhat baffled. Tâ€™Pol turned to face him.

â€œThereâ€™s a long held belief that when a Vulcan mates, thereâ€™s a shared psychic bond.â€

â€œWe didnâ€™t _mate_.â€

_Didnâ€™t mate? He is attempting to deny the event? How peculiar and illogical. I wonder exactly what it is that the commander thinks we did?_

â€œUh huh.â€

Tâ€™Pol sensed Tripâ€™s sudden discomfort. Perhaps humans merely had a more refined term for such activities.

â€œOkay. What do you mean by psychic bond?â€ he inquired, apparently now resigned to admitting to their previous coupling.

â€œItâ€™s difficult to explain. Feelings, thoughts, even images can be shared.â€

â€œThose daydreamsâ€¦â€

â€œWhat?â€

â€œWhen I said before that I wasnâ€™t havinâ€™ any daydreams about you, it wasnâ€™t actually the truth,â€ Trip confessed.

Tâ€™Pol raised a brow. This knowledge served as further confirmation that her suspicions had indeed been correct. Perhaps this newly acquired information would convince Commander Tucker to stay aboard the ship. This and the necessary engine repairs that he needed to attend to, of course. Kelby _could_ complete the tasks, but it was quite likely that he would do an inadequate job. The engines needed the most qualified engineer in order to run efficiently. The engines needed Trip.

************************************************************************

Tâ€™Pol gazed down the hallway and watched Trip as he walked away from her. The human now seemed intent on departing _Enterprise_ , intent on disregarding their bond and intent on leaving _her_. She honestly had not believed he would actually depart the ship after all she had revealed to him.

After the previous daydream, Tâ€™Pol had little doubt that she and Trip were bonded. Initially heâ€™d responded to this revelation with typical human immaturity and sarcastic behavior in what she surmised was a feeble attempt at denial. It hadnâ€™t been completely surprising to her at the time, considering the fact that his species often behaved rather peculiarly about such matters. Sheâ€™d discovered through much observation that humans at times took pleasure in playing mind games as an effort to deny facing the truth. Trip was no exception at first, but just a short time later, she began to sense his acceptance of the facts.

Tâ€™Pol felt a twinge of regret as her eyes followed his movement down the corridor. There was something he needed from herâ€”something that would convince him that the only logical decision to be made was to remain aboard _Enterprise_. An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of the Vulcanâ€™s stomach. Her emotions suddenly became nearly impossible to suppress. Her body began to respond to these feelings with a series of physical symptoms. Her heartbeat accelerated. Her breathing became shallow and uneven. Her limbs felt heavy, as if they had abruptly lost all of their mobility. Perhaps it was the bond. Perhaps she was somehow channeling his feelings. She didnâ€™t know, but one thing was quite clearâ€¦she couldnâ€™t allow him to leave. She _wouldnâ€™t_ allow to him to leave. It was illogical, but it didnâ€™t matter. Not this time.

â€œWait. Trip!â€

Addressing Trip by his nickname had always succeeded in capturing his attention rather quickly. He stopped walking and turned around. Their eyes met.

â€œI want you to come back,â€ Tâ€™Pol admitted.

â€œThen Iâ€™ll think about it.â€ Trip began to walk away again.

â€œTrip!â€

There was a human saying that the Vulcan had heard spoken on numerous occasions without having had a complete understanding of its purpose or significance. Now it immediately became clear to her.

_Actions speak louder than words._

Trip turned at the sound of her voice and almost instantly, Tâ€™Polâ€™s lips met his. She ran a hand along the side of his face, opened her mouth and kissed him convincingly. For a moment he didnâ€™t respond, but then she felt his body relaxing as he allowed the kiss. She caressed his tongue with hers and explored the inside of his warm mouth. The act was undeniably stimulating.

Tâ€™Pol gently pulled away from Trip and broke the kiss. She stared back at him, searching his face for some sign of reaction. He ran a thumb beneath his lower lip and gazed back at her with a gleam in his eyes.

â€œThree days ago, I told Capâ€™n Hernandez I wanted a transfer back to _Enterprise._ â€

He was already coming back?

â€œThree days ago,â€ she repeated in disbelief, now realizing that her drastic and unVulcan behavior had likely not been necessary.

How _incorrigible_ he is.

â€œI realize this is where I was meant to be and that this thing between usâ€¦â€ he paused for a moment, gesturing with his hands, â€œâ€¦isnâ€™t that big of a deal.â€

Tâ€™Pol stared into Tripâ€™s cool, blue eyes and sensed his affirmation of their bond. She felt his latent arousal and his contentment.

â€œAgreed.â€

â€œGuess we gotta lot oâ€™ work ta do,â€ her bondmate quipped with a flirtatious smile. He turned and moved briskly down the hallway and around the corner, leaving her alone with that thought.

Somehow Tâ€™Pol had the distinct impression that Trip had not been merely referring to tasks involving their employment. She felt an inner serenity and completion that she hadnâ€™t known in her previous sixty-seven years and that sheâ€™d never dare admit to presently. Their connection was strong in her mind and in her spirit. She found herself drifting back to the shore of the desolate beach.

************************************************************************

_Tâ€™Pol sat with folded legs by the edge of the sea. The waves came in just enough to dampen her feet, the rising surf suctioning the underlying sand away from her skin just before the water disappeared back into the vast blue ocean. Trip was there with her, beside her, his hand entwined with hers. She gazed over at him and raised a brow._

_â€œVulcans do not normally grip one anotherâ€™s hands in this manner.â€_

_Trip smiled back at her, the sparkle in his eyes still evident in the moonlight. â€œIâ€™m not Vulcan,â€ he stated matter-of-factly._

_â€œIndeed. You most certainly are not.â€ Her eyes remained fixed on his for a long moment._

_â€œI am not human either, Trip.â€_

_He nodded back at her and spoke in a whisper. â€œI know.â€_

_â€œThis will not be effortless.â€_

_â€œItâ€™s like I said before Tâ€™Polâ€¦we gotta lot oâ€™ work ta do.â€_

_â€œAgreed,â€ she answered, squeezing his hand gently. He was quite wise for a human, she decided._

 

End


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